Obamas live the high life, Marines get food fit for the dogs

Both Barack and Michelle Obama are raising eyebrows for burning through taxpayer dollars on questionable expenditures while average Americans are facing pay cuts all blamed by the Obama Administration on the miniscule cuts in increased federal spending better known as the sequestration, as reported by The Washington Times on May 31, 2013.

Besides fellow Americans state-side dealing with involuntary “furloughs,” it’s also being reported that our troops in Afghanistan are eating food that the government gives the same quality grading as dog food.

Flying High Again…

At a cost of $180,000 per hour to operate, Barack Obama spent four hours airborne in Air Force One to wing his way to Chicago to attend fundraisers for Democratic candidates running for Congress next year.

Not to be outdone, Michelle Obama jetted off to Boston to luncheon with the über-rich to raise money for U.S. Senate candidate Ed Markey. At a cost between $500 up to $37,600 per plate, the fund raiser meal consisted of Chilean sea bass with a fricassee of asparagus.

Otherwise Known as a Pay Cut…

While the Obama Administration cites as fallout from sequesteration, employees at the Environmental Protection Agency, the Internal Revenue Service, the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Office of Management and Budget have all ordered employees to take unpaid days off.

Even though most Americans wouldn’t exactly shed alligator tears over IRS agents not being on the job for a day or two per month, medical personnel at Walter Reed have received their furlough notices, as well as school teachers at the Department of Defense Schools are in the on-deck circle to receive their notices.

Let Them Eat Steak…

Earlier last month, the Atlanta Black Star newspaper interviewed Michelle Obama in which she revealed that every Friday night in the White House is “steak night.”

As Mrs. Obama stated:

We love red meat.

We generally have steak on Friday, and that’s the President’s favorite dinner.

In the asymmetrical war in Afghanistan where there really are no front lines, the closest thing to the rear echelon would be the massive Marine base dubbed Camp Leatherneck.

As The National Review published on May 31, 2013, those stationed at Leatherneck will no longer be served a hot meal at “Mid Rats” (midnight rations), but instead will be offered MREs (Meals, Ready to Eat).

Marines such as infantrymen coming in off patrol, flight crews working the night shift, etc, can now say goodbye to hot chow but hello to the much despised Mr. E, also lovingly tagged by Marines as “Meals Refused by Everyone” or the more physiologically correct “Meals that Refuse to Exit.”

Doesn’t Your (Devil) Dog Deserve Alpo…?

While most Americans are familiar with the top three USDA grades of beef (prime, choice and select), most are unfamiliar with the lower end of the literal food chain:

Canner, commercial, cutter, standard and utility, are used for dog food, potted meat and other processed food such as Meals, Ready to Eat.

Unlike Michelle Obama’s serving of Chilean sea bass with a fricassee of asparagus, there is no indication if that will ever be produced in MRE form for the troops.

In the meantime, they’ll have to enjoy such delicacies as Beef Patty and Chicken Loaf.

T. Kevin Whiteman is a retired Master Sergeant of Marines. He is the founder of the blog Unapologetically Rude and has written for Examiner and other blogs.

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